Social Work: Higher Education
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to establish a Royal College of care workers.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock
The Government is committed to a well-supported adult social care workforce who are recognised as the professionals they are. Enhancing the skills of staff working in adult social care is vital to ensure that the care provided is of good quality, fair, personalised, and accessible. Promoting opportunities to develop skills and knowledge is essential to raise the status of adult social care as a career. We have expanded the first ever national career structure for adult social care, the Care Workforce Pathway, adding new roles and clear career pathways. Backed by £12 million for training through the Learning and Development Support Scheme, this supports staff development and recognises the vital work care professionals do.
The Department has no current plans to introduce a Royal College of care. The Government is committed to transforming adult social care to create a National Care Service and to improving the lives of people drawing on care, unpaid carers, and the social care workforce. We have also launched an independent commission into adult social care, chaired by Baroness Casey, as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The commission's Terms of Reference are sufficiently broad to enable Baroness Casey to define its remit to independently consider how to build a social care system fit for the future.
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